Manassas Park or Dale City? All info is welcome :) (Alexandria: houses, lease)

[Morrigans Mum]

Hello my husband and I are planing to move to ether Manassas Park or Dale City. We live in Alexandria (Fairfax County) right now with family but we wish to move into a house with our 18 month old daughter. My husband works in D.C. and plans on taking the VRE into D.C.

We do not want to spend a lot on our house, we plan on buying cheap (around 150k) and working on the house.

I have herd that both citys are not desirable is this true?

What areas are safer then others?

[HEATHER72]

It's not so much that you are wanting to do a fixer upper... but have you ever been to either city? I recently drove down Liberia in Manassas... what a sight! I've never seen so many houses for sale in all my life. I don't think I was even to the "bad" part of town yet. I was looking to see where a friend of ours use to live. I was quite shocked he lived in that part of town.

Just realize that from Manassas to DC via the VRE you are looking at at least a 1.5 hr commute one way to work.

[McScootch]

The Rippon Landing VRE in Dale City to L'enfant Plaza is about a 45 minute ride (Please correct me if I am wrong) and you can find nice areas in Dale City if you go father down Dale Boulevard to the Mapledale area towards Spriggs and Hoadly Roads. I'd offer my house to you but 150,000 isnt going to cut it.

[Fairfax Mom]

No way can you get a single family home for 150k - I think a vacant lot would cost about that. Am I wrong?

[Chuck11]

I believe you can get a single-family home in Manassas for around $150K- and I'm sure they'll be going even lower in '09 and 2010

[Morrigans Mum]

I have already priced homes in Dale city and Manassas Park and I have found some homes for less then 150k and yes they are fixer uppers but My husband helped build his fathers home and he wishes to do the same for our first home. We are a young family and we are willing to work on our home together.

We know that his ride to and from DC will take about and hour each way but it takes him about that long to drive to work from the Mount Vernon area where we live right now.

We wish to live further away from DC and are willing to take the VRE to work.

We just wish to know what areas too stay away from in each city. We are going to drive down to Dale City and Manassas Park this weekend to take pics of the Houses we are considering

[sgermanguy]

Georgetowne South TH; 87,500, walk to VRE (<.5 miles), and keep your fingers crossed about crime. That would be in 20110, which is nicer than MP.

[HEATHER72]

You must realize why the homes are as cheap as they are... old & not the most desirable location or schools.

[Morrigans Mum]

Well We visited Dale City today and it was not as bad as some people make it out to be. The Areas We looked at were clean and welcoming.

[walkingnoelle]

People really need to check out northern VA communities in person (like you did) and find what feels comfortable for their needs/budget/lifestyle. If you are happy with an area, then that's all that matters.